8weeksofsummer Goals

I’m always learning and teaching. I’ve taken Adobe courses, Managing Misinformation [although, due to a death in the family, I couldn’t finish this excellent in depth course], and continue connecting with my #CLmooc peers.

I’m working with the local Friends of the Library in support of our small library, which often involves volunteering to help kids with projects at the programs.

I’m helping others with their professional development as a moderator/mentor for Jennifer Gonzalez’s JumpStart Course, and that is a reciprocal mentorship where I learn from the participants as much as I help guide them. Isn’t that so true — how we learn while helping others.

But one thing I’m doing differently this year is some learning I did not take time for in the past– something to learn because I want to learn it. And today, Joy Kirr tweeted about just that:

Educators have hobbies or other jobs that are a huge part of them. How can we bring these passions into the school? Consider that as you enjoy them all summer long – what brings you such joy as this that you can bring to your students / staff?#teacherwellness#edchathttps://t.co/W1Rf6XzTQU

I’m not an artist, but I always included bits of art and calligraphy and design into my lessons, especially because design is so much a part of today’s literacies: sharing digitally means to think about not just the text, but the images, visual, video, audio, layout, etc. for your audience and purpose.

And because copyright is so important, creating your own images and visuals is very important and helpful in explaining and analyzing information.

So art and drawing is very important — these are avatars and that type of drawing and digital art my students and I learned together to create interesting informative summaries and posters for our work.

And now I’m learning much more about digital illustration and would love to have had this knowledge and the practice strategies to get started for my students.Students could create characters for different purposes and use those in their communications to explain their issues and projects. In blog posts, comics, and brochures, these add a “voice” and interest to draw readers in.

I am no artist, but I’m learning, and it’s a gift I could have given to my students.

So, as Joy said: What are your passions that are part of you? Make those part of your goals for professional development this summer!

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6 comments for “8weeksofsummer Goals”

Penny Christensen

June 21, 2019 at 5:24 am

So glad to have you back in the #8weeksofsummer blogging challenge Sheri!

It strikes me that when you ask students to create original artwork you are also helping them create space. Space where they are not mindlessly following directions or keeping busy in other ways. That space is rare and is where original ideas are born.

Hi Penny — I hadn’t thought of creating art as creating their space, but really it is. It lets them broaden the idea of who they are in the world and builds their confidence in their own worthiness. Thanks for the thought. ~ Sheri

I’m so glad you’re going to bring your love of art to the classroom, Sheri. Have you connected with @heckawesome yet? She teaches at the other middle school in my district and has her students create “learning mascots” which may be something up your alley… https://youtu.be/KKkPw6eV9yk